Hope
by smc1214
Summary: The gang are traveling along the Serpents Pass while Aang is going through a sort of depression. What will make him better? KataraxAang


A/N Okay, again, I wrote this a while ago. It was right after "The City of Walls and Secrets" so you can kind of guess how old this really is. Well, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Avatar

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Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph were yet again walking along through the Serpent's Pass trying to get to Full Moon Bay. A few hours ago, they had been exiled from Ba Sing Se for talking of the war to civilians. This however, wasn't true. Joo Dee had been against them and reported him to be saying war tactics to commoners which was a lie. Long Feng banished them from the city immediately. The four friends were now headed back to the Ferry Port to see Suki and ask the smartest way of transportation to the Fire Nation. Sokka of course liked this plan. Aang on the other hand did not. He wanted to stay in the city and search for Appa. He knew his chances of finding him now were slim, everyone knew. Yet, they tried to remain hopeful for Aang's sake. Katara glanced over at Aang and was saddened at what she saw. It hurt her deep down to know he was in this much pain. He was deep in thought, probably thinking about Appa, for his eyes began to well up with tears. Sokka turned around and saw the young boy. He looked at his sister for an answer. She made a gesture that basically said, 'we'll catch up in a minute.' Sokka and Toph kept going up the trail leaving Katara and Aang for a moment alone.

Katara looked upon the young avatar who had stopped in his tracks. He was looking over the bay with a sad expression upon his face. Katara hated seeing him like this. Finally, the tear trickled down his cheek. She reached up and wiped the tear away. She wrapped her arms around him and brought him into a fierce hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and quietly, but surely, cried into her shoulder. Quiet sobs were coming from the young boy as Katara pulled him in closer. Aang looked up into her saddened face.

"We'll never find him now. He's gone." Katara felt a tear form in her eyes. She quickly wiped it away.

"No, we'll find him Aang. I promise." Aang hugged her harder as Katara followed his gesture. They remained hugging for a few minutes longer. Once they came apart, Aang wiped his tears away and walked up the trail, Katara right beside him.

After a few minutes, they met up with Sokka and Toph.

Sokka went up to his sister and whispered quietly, "Will he be okay?"

Katara looked back at the monk. He was yet again looking over the bay, his eyes red from crying. She looked back at her brother.

"I don't know Sokka. I just don't know."

They walked in silence for who knows how long when the sun was finally setting. They had found the ledge they had slept on a few days ago and set up camp. Everyone was preparing for bed when Sokka screamed.

"Sokka, what's wrong?!" Katara yelled.

"A humongous spider over there! I wasn't hallucinating last time!" He pointed to a shaded spot a few yards away from the site. Toph shifted her feet trying to pick up vibrations. A small smirk formed on her face.

"It's a rock stupid!" Toph yelled laughing after her statement.

Sokka began to blush.

"Well SORRY if I don't like spiders!" Sokka exclaimed pouting when a small rock hit him in the side of his head. He turned around to see a newly set up earth tent and heard laughter coming from inside it. Cautiously, he reached for his machete when Katara slapped him on the arm.

"HEY! She started it!" Sokka yelled. Katara rolled her eyes. She looked upon the campsite and noticed that Aang wasn't there.

After a few minutes of searching, she found him at the exact place Suki found Sokka a few nights back. Aang just sat there deep in thought staring at the moon. Katara sat down next to him and placed her hand on his.

"I'm sorry Aang." Katara looked upon his tear stained face for an answer.

"I know." He said looking up at her. Katara moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders while he wrapped his arms around her waist. She pulled him close to her, comforting him as well as she could.

"Everything will be okay." She softly replied to him. He rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Katara looked down upon him. She loved moments like this. Just the two of them alone. It just felt so…right. She began to realize her feeling towards him after they had kissed in the caves. She was going to tell him soon after, but decided to keep it to herself. It just didn't feel like the right time what with Appa being stolen and everything. She would just have to keep it a secret for the time being. Still, she cherished these moments the best she could.

"Aang…" she whispered to him, but there was no answer. He had fallen asleep in her arms. She looked down upon the avatar and noticed a faint smile form on his face. She smiled knowing that his dreams would be good. She pulled him in closer and laid her head softly upon his. After a minute, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

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Aang woke up the next morning in Katara's arms. When he noticed how close they really were, he blushed massively. He started to get up quietly trying not to wake up Katara. Once he was out of her arms, he supported her so she wouldn't fall. He began searching for something soft to lie her on besides the cold, hard rock. While searching, he felt a hand tap him on the shoulder. He gasped and turned around to see who it was.

"You might need this." Sokka stated handing Aang a blanket. Nervously, Aang accepted the blanket and laid Katara upon it. The warrior then began to speak again.

"I noticed how close you two were. What were you doing?"

Aang didn't know what to say, but finally found words.

"Well you see…" Sokka gave the young boy a look. Aang gulped and began again.

"When I was feeling bad about, well…you know, she came over and comforted me. I guess I must have fallen asleep." The avatar confessed.

"At least you didn't do anything…right?" The warrior asked.

"Of course not! I would **never **hurt her." Sokka nodded his head in approval. He believed him, seriously. He was just going to keep a much sharper eye on the two of them, especially now. A long awkward silence fell between the two.

"So…is Toph still asleep?" Aang asked.

"Yeah, but we should wake the 'sleeping beauty' up soon. We need to talk to Suki, preferably before sundown." Sokka started to blushing. Aang smirked and began to giggle a bit. He had seen the two kissing, everyone had!

"I wouldn't be doing that if I were you." Sokka replied with a smirk. Now it was Aang's turn to blush. Both were so deep in thought that neither noticed a small rock hurtling through the air until the last second when it hit Sokka on the side of the head, again.

"OUCH! What the…?!" He turned around to see Toph all packed up and ready to hit the road.

"Since you were so busy thinking about your girlfriend, you still haven't packed."

Sokka blushed and started walking to camp to pack up his belongings.

"Geesh, and he calls me sleeping beauty!" Aang smiled at this little comedy act and decided he should go wake up Katara. They needed to get an early head start anyway.

He walked up to her and saw her sleeping soundly. He hated to disturb her, but they really should get a move on. He looked upon her and knew he wanted to be with her. It was clear he loved her, right from the start! But how to tell her was the problem. Aang just wasn't very _smooth _with talking to girls, so with that came a huge issue. Everyday there was something else going wrong with his life. What with Appa being stolen and being exiled from Ba Sing Se, and his duties of being the avatar. He just couldn't handle it all! That's why he loved Katara. She always knew what to do when he was down. Sometimes he can swear she can read his mind. She heals him when he's hurt and comforts him he's sad. She was perfect.

"Katara…Katara wake up." Aang stated softly shaking her shoulder a bit. She opened her eyes and saw Aang's loving face. She looked at his expression and noticed he looked a lot better from the day before. She stretched out and stood beside him.

"Good morning Aang, are you feeling better?"

"Much better. Thank you, for everything." Aang stated smiling happily.

"You're welcome." She pulled him into a quick hug. Aang followed her movements and hugged her back.

"Come on, we should get going before Sokka goes crazy from lack of food." Aang said sarcastically. Katara nodded. The two friends walked together to where Sokka and Toph were. After the next hour or so, everyone was tired from walking for so long.

"LOOK! The exit is up ahead! We are almost through!" Sokka yelled pointing. He ran about two yards when he tripped over a small rock.

"Gee, don't die on us Sokka. Your little girlfriend wouldn't like that now would she?" Toph said earth bending him back up to his feet.

"Ha ha, very funny. I think I'll walk the rest of the way." He started to blush, again, and head toward the trail. Katara rolled her eyes at her brother while Aang giggled at the incident. Katara looked down upon him and smiled. He seemed so much happier today. Yesterday, she couldn't stand to see him in that condition. Seeing him laugh overjoyed her, and she would remember that laugh for months to come. Deep down, it gave her hope.

They finally reached the sign they had entered through a few days ago.

"We have survived the Serpents Pass yet again!" Sokka yelled throwing his arms in the air.

"Hooray." Toph replied blankly kicking him in the shins.

"Ouch!" Sokka yelled bending down to rub his sore area.

Katara was becoming quite bored with seeing her brother act stupid. She walked up to the post of the entranceway and reread it over and over again. 'Abandon Hope.'

"Don't listen to me," a voice behind her stated. She turned around to see Aang standing there beside her. "What I said a few days ago, about abandoning hope, I was wrong. I was just so upset that I thought nothing would improve the situation we were in, not even hope. But the truth was, running away from it made my life worse. What you said to me that night on the pass, was true. I should have listened to you, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." Katara stated with tears welling up in her eyes. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder while he wrapped his arms around her waist. She pulled him in close to her and smiled at him, he smiled back. They looked over the bay knowing that one thing they would always have, was hope.

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A/N Well, hope you liked it! Review on your way out!

-Thanks TheMysteriousAuthoress-


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